The Alternate
by shalbores
Summary: What happens when Bobby Drake finds out about Logan's journey through time? It's not a question of how, but how much it will change the way his outlook towards life is - as if it wasn't already complicated enough. Kitty X Bobby
1. Chapter 1

What happens when Bobby Drake finds out about Logan's journey through time? It's not a question of how, but how much it will change the way his outlook towards life is - as if it wasn't already complicated enough.  
Kitty X Bobby

* * *

**The Alternate - Chapter 1**

BOBBY

_It's the first of September, my favorite month. It rains a lot this time of year. It's the time I can go out and have a little fun with the free water that comes falling from the sky. This way, I don't get to waste water from the shower AND piss off my room mate at the same time for making icicles out of the shower droplets._

I got up from bed, and as usual, I folded the blanket, plumped up the pillows, tucked in the sheets. Same thing everyday only this time, I was doing it with a little more enthusiasm. The excitement of going out for a jog was killing me. It was Saturday, after all. The day couldn't have gotten any more perfect.

I slipped into my track shirt and a pair of sweatpants. With everything in place I opened the door, only to see Dr. Grey quickly pacing past me. Why she was in a hurry, I didn't interest myself in finding out.

"Good morning, Dr. Grey," I said instinctively.

She turned and smiled, "Bobby. Off to your usual jog, I see?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well you have fu-" she cut herself off as she rustled through the papers she had at hand. For a second I thought I heard her whisper the word _damn. _"On second thought, child, would you please run up to the lab and get me the file by the flasks?"

Personally, I loved doing errands for teachers. It somehow made me feel that I'm the teacher's pet, or at least during the time they ask something of you, like any student hates admitting.

"Okay," I said, as I gladly ran towards the staircase.

"Don't freeze it, though!"

She loved talking about the kids' powers and let us apply them in everyday activities, a reason why she was one of my favorite educators.

After having to run up two flights of stairs, I entered the lab and found the file that sat near the flasks, just as she said. It had red bold letters on it saying CONFIDENTIAL.

_Of course it is,_ I thought. Everything they worked on in there was confidential. Sometimes the curiosity just burns you, especially if you're a kid like I was.

Seeing as she was in a hurry, I pressed on with walking, thus hitting the slab on my way out.

I dropped the hoard of papers and later I asked myself that day, _why did I fucking read a confidential file?_

The day couldn't have gotten any more perfect, except that day I found out I was living in an alternate reality.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Alternate - Chapter 2**

BOBBY

I got a pat on the back from Pete, a timid 'good morning' from a little boy who walked by, _and_ I managed to run into Kitty on my way to handing the file to Dr. Grey.

_Can things get any worse?_

All of my thoughts of walking in the oh-so-perfect drizzly weather vanished, replaced by an irrational fear, a deep sense of sorrow, confusion, everything bad thrown in the mix.

"Thank you so much, Bobby," and with that, she left. Not suspecting such a horrible thing, that the confidential file she was holding was accidentally opened, scanned.. by a kid whose name was in it, saying he survives the next twelve years.

Instead of pushing myself to brush aside the fact that it _didn't_ happen, that nobody actually died, I ran to the nearest men's room which was at the end of the hall.

I entered the first stall, the one closest to the door, barely holding my insides together. A second after I fell on my knees, the contents of my stomach were emptied, as if it were poison that my body needed to expel, information that I had to get out of my system. To no avail.

A creak of the door hinge slapped me back to reality, recalling that I didn't bother to lock the door.

My body tensed, completely unprepared for physical contact, like I was in a defensive mode, even after repeatedly telling myself everything was fine.

Things were not fine.

I was freaking out, and somebody had been watching, waiting for me to make the next move. My eyes stung. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes from throwing up, and so at the sight of a tall, muscular man whose image was hazy when I turned around, I did the only thing I knew to defend myself.

I froze Pete from his torso down to his legs.

"Piotr," I cried apologetically.

Good thing he wasn't a wimp about it.

He simply changed into his metallic self and shattered the ice that formed around his body.

He slightly frowned at me, most likely in concern because the next thing he did was ask if I was alright.

I said yes, of course, just to leave it at that and not to make a fuss about what just happened. After all, I didn't really want to tell him that in an alternate reality, he gets split into half by a robot warrior.

Again, I felt the acid in my stomach churn. I retched, now feeling pain in my chest. Nothing came out. I must've starved overnight. _Like I could bring myself to eat right now._

"Seriously? Who calls me Piotr in this place? Unless the Professor's in your head, then something's wrong with you," Pete said, keeping a stern face.

_I'm good_ was all I could muster before I flushed the toilet, got up, and went straight back to my room.

* * *

KITTY

I played it over and over in my mind, but it absolutely made no sense. This has _never_ happened before. I mean, Bobby's never joked about being pissed at me, he knows how gullible I am when it comes to social crap.. except of course if he actually _is _angry at me_._ In this case, I don't know what I did.

_Fuck this. Maybe I should just talk to him?_

_But he seemed so frustrated. But what the hell did I do?_

The thought of him staying at a level of annoyance with me was just weird, given that I didn't even know the reason why he frowned at me in the hall that morning.

_Whatever. _

I strolled passed his room, running into Pete, who came out of the men's room _also_ somewhat frowning, unlike his usual bubbly persona.

_It's probably the rain._

But then it occurred to me that it must've been something else.. because Bobby loved the rain.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Alternate - Chapter 3**

BOBBY

"How long have you been here?"

"A couple years," I answered bleakly. It had been five weeks since the discovery, but an experience like that, even though it was just a hurried skim.. it changes you.

"And your parents just sent you off to mutant school?"

I always thought Logan was an ass at some level. But after seeing that ink so desolately printed on those several sheets of paper, how he risked his life to change so many things, made me question my opinion.

Still, the weight of carrying such oppressive details of death and suffering was something even he couldn't help me with. Figures like how John sided with someone named Magneto, he who controls metal and does nothing to spare the Professor during Dr. Grey's outburst of power, how she disintegrates the brotherhood of mutants, which tried/will try/has tried to wipe out the X-Men and the humans.

The tenses _did_ matter, only I couldn't make out the right one. Every second I was awake, I spent thinking about what happened or what would've happened. I asked myself for weeks,_ what did I ever do to deserve this torment? _To hold this much pain and not be able to tell anyone about it because you know it would haunt them, like it did to me..

I couldn't find the answer in the tub of ice cream I swooshed my spoon around in.

"Actually," I tried to keep the chat going, as casual as I could have done it. Although I couldn't shake the feeling that we've had this conversation before or _would_ have it in a loop of alternate dimensions, I urged myself to talk. "My parents think this is a prep school."

"Oh I see. And I suppose lots of prep schools have their own dorms, campuses-"

"Jets," I cut him off, to furtively gauge a reaction.

He seemed to not notice, until he brought up Rogue.

"So you and Rogue, huh?"

"Not anymore. I mean, it's probably not what you would've thought. I would've wanted it to be, but it was just.."

He raised a brow at me, as if he was waiting for me to say something.

"It's just that it wasn't easy," I paused, finally letting myself go, speaking the truth for once since that day in the lab, "when you wanna be closer to someone... but you can't."

_Mainly because A.) she's incapable of human interaction so I just gave up on the thought of dating her; B.) she's gonna take a cure for her powers and she'd end up dead soon anyway so why bother connect with someone who's giving themselves a death sentence; and C.) Kitty's in the equation._

I read in that file that she survived and we ended up being together. Two years ago, if you would've told me I was gonna end up with Kitty, then I'd be on the floor, laughing the oxygen out of my lungs. Frankly, it still vaguely applies now. To think that I'd fall for my bestest friend.. I had too much on my plate. _She really is the last thing I want to deal with right now. _

I've never been so wrong.

* * *

**A/N: Just a heads up! This is a romance fic, so please don't expect Wolverine-slash-Charles-slash-Jean-slash-Scott-slash-Storm action :))) It's basically sappy stuff from here. You get the point. Kitty X Bobby all the way **

**BTW, I quoted the lines from X2, in case you didn't notice.**

**Please leave a review and tell me your suggestions. I'd love to hear from you.**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Alternate - Chapter 4**

KITTY

I approached Dr. Grey anxiously, having second thoughts as to whether or not to ask her about the predicament I held in my head.

Everybody had just stepped out of the room, and I could practically hear their sighs after the assignment that she'd given us.

I was about to walk to the chalkboard but then decided at the last second to not do it, but not before being caught hesitating, pacing towards the teacher only to step back.

"Kitty," Dr. Grey inquired, "What's wrong?"

"Uh-" I stammered, naturally I was caught off guard, I really wasn't prepared.  
"It's the assignment, Dr. Grey."

She sat down, motioned for me to do so as well, and raised a brow before talking. "What about the assignment, Kitty?"

I didn't sit.  
I was too nervous to sit.

"Mm.. Chemistry, it's.." _Jesus, this is harder than I thought, _"I mean, the entire lecture.. 'diffusion and osmosis' is really confusing," I went on, checking on her facial expressions, realizing there was no use in doing what I was doing.

"Haven't you had this lesson with the Professor a few years back? Anyway, if anyone's finding it hard to figure out diffusion and osmosis, it should _not_ be you," Dr. Grey tested.

I felt stupid to use that one, because she was right. If anyone was to not get that crap, it shouldn't be me of all people. I mean, I could walk through walls, for crying out loud!

"I know, bu-"

She made a horizontal line across her lips, a gesture for me to shut up now.

"I'll be frank with you, Kitty. Do I have to read your mind so I can find out what it is exactly you want to talk about with me?"

I answered as soon as she finished, "Oh no, please don't do that." Though I knew, like the Professor had taught her, she wouldn't invade someone's head just as he taught me not to threaten people that I'd phase them halfway into a wall, there was still that nagging feeling that she _would_ do it if push came to shove.

"Honey, you came to _me_ for something that's obviously been on your mind the past few days, only this time, you didn't talk to Storm, or Logan, or the Professor. You came to _me. _So please, if there's anything I you need to tell me, please do," she replied with a patient smile.

I sighed, finally giving in to curiosity and ultimately asking. "Dr. Grey, I wanted to talk about anorexia and bulimia. You've heard of it, right?"

She was mainly in Biology, so yeah, most probably. I just wanted to ease into it so as to not freak her out.

"Eating disorders," I heard her tone fall, as if she assumed that I was having a problem with feeding. "You really should sit."

_Crap. This isn't good._

I sat down on one of the chairs, reprising sitting in my seat earlier in class.

"I mean, it's not like it's a big deal or something, I just wanted to know the symptoms of the early onset of things," I reassured, almost too obvious about my worry.

"Basically remarkable shifts in behavior, being withdrawn at times, and don't forget the weight loss, of course. With bulimia, it's almost the same emotional distress - not wanting to eat in public or in front of others, going to the bathroom after eating or during meals. Most importantly, why are you asking me this?" she queried. Again I was taken aback by her last statement.

"Let's just say I know a guy who knows a guy who thinks his friend has something going on. But he's probably overthinking it so nevermind all this," I forced a smile out of my mouth, "Just a hunch of concern, anyway. For someone I know, I won't lie to you."

With that, I stood up, said my thank you's and left the room.

Meanwhile, on the way back to my room, I couldn't stop thinking about what John did the other night...

* * *

_A knock on my door woke me from my nap._

_"It's open!" I shouted, wiping off drool and reorienting myself._

_The sight of John shook me awake. _

_"What do you want?" I said coldly. We weren't exactly the best of friends. He's been like.. a frenemy of mine over the years. Well, not just me, everyone else, I think._

_"Is Bobby sick or something? You know, cause he hasn't been down in time for meals, and he like.. excuses himself a lot. I don't know but maybe you could talk to him? Because surely, I couldn't get through that ice-hard layer of emotional barriers he's set up. It's crazy. It's like he's emo or something," John said. Looking ridiculously sincere and undeniably upfront, the first time I've ever seen him act like that. _

_Maybe his day wasn't complete without pissing Bobby off in some way. Maybe in the back of Pyro's flaming head, there was actually room for ice. Maybe he cared._

_And really, he wasn't the only one who's noticed. For the past couple of weeks, Bobby's been pretty secretive. _

_He hasn't even talked to me. Whenever I try to approach him, he just leaves. It's like he's in a fugue state._

_"I will. Just.. get out of here," I retorted, pretending I didn't give a single fuck. _

_But really, when it came to Bobby, I gave all the fucks in the world. _


	5. Chapter 5

**The Alternate - Chapter 5**

BOBBY

I rarely ever go shirtless. In fact, _rarely_ doesn't even cut it. I never go shirtless. One, because I'm a stick of a boy, and two, because I never feel the need to 'cool' myself (because Westchester is the epitome of cold and I have ice powers).

This time, though, given my latest understanding of 'what could have been', I tried so many different things – from binge eating to total hunger strikes, sleeping through a whole morning, sprinting to the point of unconsciousness (one experience of which John had to help me get back up, and since then I didn't leave my room), freezing my roommate's pillow – too many reckless things. And that included missing a shitload of classes, and the most pressing: going half naked one day, finally stepping out of the room after days of feeding on cereal, as though nothing else in this timeline could faze me.

* * *

KITTY

It was 5 PM and most kids were back to their rooms. Classes were over, after all.

I cleaned up after my genius physics classmates, who apparently were not very devoted when it came to tidying up the classroom for the next class. And goddamn I wish I didn't stay behind that night.

I saw Bobby, my used-to-be extremely composed best friend, Bobby, half-streaking down the hall. And no, I don't mean that thing in microbiology where you isolate bacteria. Streaking – as in he was in his underwear, walking about in the halls, as if he didn't care if the professor were to pass by.

_Way to mimic_ _Pete's physique._

Honestly, all I could think of that time were abs (which, by the way, Bobby does _not_ have), and how easy they were to build if you had Bobby's stamina. He's not exactly 'eye-candy', as normal teenage girls prefer to say. But to me he was perfect. I mean, Pete could walk the halls all day half naked and I wouldn't mind. Bobby did this today and I swear I could hear my stomach turn.

But that feeling was short lived as I came to realize that it was all too unreal. He was so.. unBobbylike.

And I needed the old Bobby back.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Alternate - Chapter 6 **

KITTY

"Hey, Shadowcat! Wait up!" a familiar voice from behind me called as I walked the mansion hall at four in the morning. Yes, four o'clock. I haven't been sleeping well.

I stopped on my tracks, immediately feeling relieved - relieved that somehow, he'd take my mind off of the things that have been happening lately.

I turned round, taking in the sight of golden hair and yet again another body hugging raglan, just as always.

"Doug," I greeted with a smile, "G'morning."

"Whatcha up to, Shadowcat?" he asked, using my field name again. I guess it was just the force of his habit.

"Well, _Cypher_, I'm off to grab a drink. Wanna join me?" I offered, hoping that he would go with me. I seriously needed the company of a good friend. After all, he _was_ a pretty good talker, and I'm a pretty decent listener myself. He's just one of those people you're naturally drawn to.

He scrunched up his nose, and I knew he was gonna turn me down this time. That was when I noticed he was holding a book and notebook.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were going to the library," I preempted to not further disappoint myself.

Doug chuckled, like he was apologizing for it. "Yeah, maybe next time, huh Kitty?"

"Of course," I half smiled, unintentionally showing my letdown. I mean, where else in the world would you see a guy that wakes up early to study?

He scratched his head and started striding past me awkwardly. "You know, next time's probably not that far, Shadowcat," he ended as he turned a right at the corner of the hallway.

I exhaled, feeling alone again. Alone again with my thoughts of Bobby and if he's been sleeping alright and eating well and how he's been so distant..

_Shadowcat_. The name bounced inside my skull.

I remember all too well the day I officially started using it as my codename.

It was after Ogun, the telepathic demon who once took over my body to act out his 'personal form of revenge' towards the Wolverine.

Just like the name, I remember the feeling of being trapped inside your own body but not being able to control it. I remember facing Logan head-on with a samurai, and when that didn't work, I.. Ogun manhandled him and for a second put him on the ground. I remember the remorse I felt after it was all over. Imagine throwing a punch at the Wolverine. I was lucky he cared about my soul.

Since then, Logan and I have had a special connection, because he snapped me out of that trance and I - well, I didn't succeed in killing him so yeah, it was pretty awesome. But of course, the virtual lifetime of martial arts training disturbs me every now and then.

My thoughts were interrupted just as I was about to reach the pantry, where Logan stepped out and walked towards the opposite direction.

_Speak of the devil._

I wanted to say hi, but thenI thought about how many kids were sleeping in the rooms next to where he was walking, so I didn't bother starting the ruckus.

Just then, Bobby stepped out of the room, trailing Logan.

"_Bobby up by four?" _I thought to myself, half-panicked by what served to be yet again a red flag to me.

He could have as easily been the Bobby I knew, walking back to his room after drinking a soda, or it could have been Ogun, latching onto the soul nearest to Logan.

_Maybe I'm overthinking it._

But then he turned to face me, and I don't know why I ran. I just did.


End file.
